Platform of the Democratic Union of French Muslims

“Stopping investment will inevitably harm our Nation’s future and we will find ourselves in the same situations as countries being destroyed by the weight of their debts. Austerity, as an economic model, has clearly demonstrated and consistently proved its weaknesses.”

Islamic Finance

“We hope to use our ethics as an advantage in order to prevent future crises by supporting Islamic finance. This global financial market is currently worth 1.46 trillion dollars and fits within the international financial landscape.”

Business in the halal market

“The halal business is one of France’s most booming sectors. It is twice more profitable than the organic food market, and has recently been introduced by the biggest brands. The halal market is worth 600 billion of the world’s revenue and 16% in the world’s food market. In France there are entire regions that could profit from this sector’s activity.”

Education

Civic lessons taught in primary schools

“In order to encourage living together in harmony and to promote our Nation’s basic foundations of freedom, equality, and fraternity, it is highly advised that we educate our children about society’s principles from a young age.”

National History

“Throughout the course of history France has proven itself to be a powerful nation. However certain tragic episodes in our nation’s history remain absent from schools’ curricula. To ensure a peaceful future, we must shed light on events that remain active in the collective conscience in order to emerge stronger and more united.”

The Arabic language banned in secondary schools’ curricula

“Arabic is the third most-spoken language in the world after Mandarin and English. Therefore, it is surprising that it is taught so little in public middle and high schools. During the 1990s, Arabic language education became the victim of political manipulation, which gave the discipline a ‘risky’ image. Despite high demand on the part of students and Claude Allègre’s initiative to significantly augment the number of jobs in secondary schools and beyond, the creation of jobs was never instituted.”

Health

Health and dignity for our elders

“The State has completely removed itself from elder care in the last several years. Numerous hospital beds and entire establishments were closed and taken over by American multinational corporations. So how do we regain dignity and ensure public health institutions for the wellbeing of our elders?

The State must first start by regaining control of public services in order to protect our economy’s capital, but first and foremost to ensure safe conditions, care, and the wellbeing of those concerned.”

Social

Family

“At a time when charters and memorandums thrive in complete contradiction with principles and international rights, at a time when those elected proclaim ‘children do not belong to their parents,’ we must remember the importance of family and its essential role in children’s educations.”

Right to vote in local elections for foreigners

“Currently, immigrants who do not possess French citizenship are excluded from the right to vote in local and legislative elections…. The Muslim Democrats wish to respect the European Parliament’s resolution and to award foreigners who have resided in our country for more than five years the right to vote in local elections.”

Liberate the woman by giving back her sovereignty

“A woman’s basic rights have evolved over several centuries during revolutions, conflicts, and political regimes. A woman was first referred to as an individual with no particular rights in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen before gaining the right to divorce, to education, to work, to vote, and to have an abortion.

Nevertheless, these issues remain debated. A so-called Democratic and secular state prohibits a pupil who wears a headscarf to have access to knowledge, a mother who wears a headscarf to be, according to the city she lives in, able to chaperon school trips, a nurse wearing a headscarf from watching children. Isn’t this a contradiction of these supposed values?”

International

Turkey as a member of the European Union

“Turkey’s entrance into the European Union is unfortunately not a new debate. So why is it in Europe’s interest to bring Turkey into the European Union?

Concerning the geographic aspect, one must first remember that the Greek part of Cyprus, which became a part of the EU in 2004, is at the same longitude as Ankara.

Concerning the ideological aspect, it seems urgent to combat clichés, such as those advocating for a Christian Europe by claiming that Islam is not compatible with European values. Considering that this argument originated during another era in order to avoid a clash of civilizations, it has no validity.

In order to reframe the debate and to eliminate identity and sectarian divides, one must first remember that, while Turkey may be a Muslim-majority country, it is no less secular and democratic.”

The Arab Spring: For guidance toward democracy

“Revolutions [in the Arab world] demonstrated a lack of leadership by the European community and even more so by France. We are reminded of the missteps made by Fillon’s government and friendships between certain ministers with dictators in these countries.

The issue of these revolutions will have a direct impact on our society’s future. Therefore, in order to reestablish our country’s credibility, it is important that a party such as ours, the UDMF, which benefits from democracy and secularism, can exist in the diversity of traditional parties and find a place in a democratic state such as France.

Palestine occupies a central point in our political position. It is a source of constant mobilization. Currently, Europe is struggling to take a position on this conflict’s resolution and to curb the establishment of further settlements in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.

We will continue to campaign until Palestine is officially recognized as a country by the United Nations and by the European community.”

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